Process of reducing metallic oxid ores.



H. E. T. HAULTAIN. PROGESS OF REDUGING METALLIG OXID ORES. APPLIOATION I'ILED JUNE 30, 1908. RBNEWED JULY 1 6, 1909.

Patented 'Man 1,'1910.

2 SEEETS-SHEET 1.

A TTORNE 2 35* H. E. T. HAULTAIN. I PROCESS OF REDUGING MBTALLIG OXID ORES.

APLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1908. BENEWED JULY 16, 1909.

Patented Mar. 1,1910.

2 SEEETS-SHEBT 2.

WITNESSES.-

A TTORNE gd' FFICE.,

HERBERT E. T. HAULTAIN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO. CANADA.

PROCESS OF EDUCING METALLIC OXID ORES.

Specificaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 30, 1908, Serial No. '441,088. Renewed July 16, 1909. Serial No. 508.005.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. T. HAI'L- 'P.\IN, of the city of Toronto, conty ot' York, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and Inproved Process' of Reducing Metallic Oxid Ores, of which the following is'a specification.

This processrelates to the reduction ot netallic oxid ores and especially iron ores for the purpose of obtaining steel directly therefron.

My object is to devise a process of reducin such ores by which they may be successfully treated .in a finely divided condition and which is especially adapted for use with an electric 'urnace.

To obtain the best results as economically as possible with a finely divided showered ore, many requirements must be l ept in View. In the first place to utilize as much of the potential heat as possible and to econoniize electrical energy, it is essential to prevent the escape of any carbon from the furnacein the form of carbon nonoxid and to utilize electric energy as far as possible only for melting the smelted ore. Secondly, as the fine particles of ore rapidly become pasty When heated in a reducing atmosphere, it is important that the ore partit-les do not contact with any obstruction during reduction. Thirdly,`in order to secure uniform results the newly snelted metal must be held in a heated bath in considerable quantity and only withdrawn gradually at a point remote from the place at which melting occurs so' as to average up the inequality of' its content of carbon and impurities due to unavoidable variations in the com osition of the showered material as it reaclies the bath. Fourthly, 'not only is a reducing atmosphere necessary but, to obtain the best results theoretically, solid carbon must be present at the final stage ot' the reduction just previous to melting, and particularly so if the product. is to be east iron or mild steel.

In carrying out my process I utilize an electric furnace having a receptaclc of suit-.

able Capacity at the bottom to form a bath of molten material.

The ore if not already in the condition of magnetic iron sands is crushed or ground in' a finely divided condition. The ore is then treated in a con entrator to separate as far as ossible its earthy Components. The ore is tiien so fed into the furnace preferably mixed with :1 suitable powdered tlux so as to produce a shower of diserete particles, in which condition the ore is most readily perineable by the reducing 'agents and is nost readily heated. The furace is so ar-anged that the ore neets with no obstructions i roni the time it enters the turhace until it reaches the surface ot the bath I at the bottom. This bath is suitably leatcd, preferably by electric energy. Into the shower of finely divided ore, pret'crably intermediate its point of entry into the fur- ;ace and the surface of the bath, .T introduce a shower of carbon, also in a finely divided condition. Carbon nonoxid is immediately produced by the con'ibination of the carbon with the oxygen ot' the ore, which ca'bon nonoxd promptly takes np more oxygen rom the ore and becomes carbon doxid,

which in turn takes up carbon and is re- V .ths process takes place all through the showe;

duced to 'Cai-bon .inonoxid again.

lt has been deternined by experimentalists that carbon nionoxid alone tends only to partially deoxidize the ore and that the best results are obt 'ined by having solid carbon present with the ore to complete the dcoxidation. By n'y process it will be seen that the carbon being actually present in the shower in a solid condition is ready to hand for conbination with the finely divided partieles of ore which have been partially deoxygenized by the redtcing atn'iosphere supplied by the carbon inonoxid. There is necessarly a su 'plus ot carbon cnployed Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

and a consequent surplus of carbon nimioxhl produced, which must not. be allowed to escape and its heating value lost. At the sane time air cannot be introduced into the ore shower after its nixture with carbon to eit'ect this conbustion as the tornation in the ore shower ot carbon dioxid instead of 'nonoxid would result. I therefore shape the lower portion of the turnace so that it' extends laterally on each side of the showerand into this portion of the. turnace I in troduce air which conbnes with more or 'less of the sui-plus carbon nonoxid, m-

ducing an intense heating efiect which is reverberated against the shower and the surface of the bath of molten material by the Walls ot the chai'nber which are. suitahly shaped to produce therevc'benting etlect. lt will be seen that. this air does not contact in any nannei' with the shower ot ore and carbon and it is theretore uset'nlly employed without producing any deleterious effects. It is preferable that only a portion of the surplus carbon nonoxid be enployed in this manner, the remainder being allowed to pass up through the ore shower to a point above the carbon feed. Here a further sup- -facilitate the Chemical reactions in the reducing zone of the furnace.

The. re-actions which take place are as followsz-The showered ore is first calcined and heated. as described and after it has passed the calcining portion of the furnace,

enters a redueing atmosphere due to the introduction of the showered carbon. By the joint action of the carbon nonoxid and the solid carbon the ore is deoxidized and falls into the bath of molten material in the co'nditionof pasty metallic particles ningled with slag. In the bath at or, adjacent to, its surface, the metal is nelted and the slag separates collecting on the surface of the bath. This bath has a s'uifieient Capacity to contain a consider-able proportion of the daily output of the 'urnaee, and the molten netal is withdrawn fronthe bath gradually and preferably continuously to' a. point renote from the 'place' in which the smelting occurs, preferably at" the bottom of the bath. This withdrawal is best elfected by carrying a suitable conduit from the bottom of the receptacle up to the level of the bath exterior to the furnaee. Through this Conduit the metal gradually fiows ofi to suitable reeeptacles. This retop B. -C is the taining of the molten metal and its gradual withclrawal equalizedany inequalities in the output, which is-very important since the proportion of carbon and impurities to the pure metal may be subject to variations owng to its being contnuously produced in small quantite The process is preferably earried out in a 'furnace such as is shown in the accompanying draw'ngs lIl which Fgure 1 isa vertical section of a simple form of furnace, Fig. 2 a similar view of-an' elaborated form of furnace. llig 3 is a Vertical section on the line e a Fig; l, and

Fig. %La section on the line b--b Fig. 2.

In'the drmvings like letters of reference indicate correspond ing parts in the difi'erent figures.

Referri'g particularly to Figs. l and 3, A is the furnace rovded with an arched ath for the molten ma- D a hopper through which the ore terial.

owdered carbon s showered.

mingled with I Q E ppes for t e exit of waste gases and E aii" inlet pipes. The bhtton of the bath in (his l'orn of furnace is provided with a central depression a and two smaller later-al deprcssions b. Into the lateral depressions are led two negative electrodes G and into the central depression a positive cleetrode H. These eleetrodes may he of any suitable material except carbon. The passage of the current through the molten metal and slag provides 'the necessary heat for 'inelting the netal and for facilitatn the chenical re-actions. The air pipes F ing entirely outside the shower (the fall of which is indicated by dotted lines) combines with carbon monoxid without inter- 'ering with the reduction of the ore and the heat produced is reverberated against the shower and the surfaee of the bath. In

this 'form of furnace it will be noted that there is no introduction of oxygen above the inlet point of the carbon and no prelininary calcination takes place.

In the t'orn shown in 'Figs 2 and 4, the ore isintrodueed through a hopper D and falls through the tubular passage l before it reachcs the reverberating top B of the reducing portion oi' theifurnace.

air 'inlets 'E it will be seen, are extended above the point at which the ca'bon enters,

consequently not onlyis a. proportion of the sui-plus carbon nonoxid bur ncd outside the shower in the reducing zone of the furnace' Through the sides of this chanher thepowdered carbon is introduced through the pipcs J. T'l'e show an alternative method of heating the bath of nolten material hy electric energy. Two elcctrodes K are led in through the opposite sides of the frnace so that arcing will take place between the ende of the electrodcs and the surface of the slag, or partly melted metal and slag, formcd where the shower strikes the surface of the bath.

In each. furnace the metal is withdrawn by y means of a conduit L extending outward and Upward ;froni the bottom of the bath and provided with a spout M, and in, each :tur:

nacean overtiow N is provided for the :sl-ag /r end of the ccn slightly ahoyethe duit L. i

I have described the showcr falling directly into the bath of the molten material. As there nay be at times a. smallisland 0.' of partly molted metal and slag accunulated on the surface of the bath directly under the shower, this expression must not be taken tomean that in all cases the sineltedn'etal falls directly into the completely nolten metal and slag but only that it falls directly from its point of entry into the furnace to the bath' of moltcn material, without coming into co ntact with any cross srfaces or obstacles i gg which would inevitn'oly clog with semi-redueed ore or metal in u pnsty condition. It nust ulso be noted that though the ore is prcferzibly showered eertain features of the process are ot' great Value when the ore is handled in any other nunn r, notably the burning ot surplus corben monoxid in the redueing chnnher but` renote froni the ore What I claim :is 1115' intention isd- 1. A process of reducing netallc oXid ores which consists iu showeriug finelv di vided ore through ;in unobstrucied ehunber containing ;i hehted r'edueing gas directly into 21 bath of the mohon uuuerizl heuted by electric energy, and burning su plus redueing* gns in the rcduciug chunber outside the ore shower.

2. 4\ process of reduciug inetnllie oxid ores which consists in showering fiuely divided ore through :in unohstrueted elizunher containing n hented reducing gas directly into u both or" the nolten nniteriul heutcd hy otec-trio energy, :nd burning eurpius re-` dueing gnin the redueing` chuniber outside the ore shower and reverheruting the bent so produced inwnrd und dowmvard.

3. A process 'ot redueing inetallic oxid ore& which consists in passing ore through a reduction chamher eontuiniugu reducing gas und lnrning sui-plus rcducing in the reducing chnnl'er outside the ore.

4. A process of reducing netnllie oxid ores which consists in showering finely di Vided ore through a reduction chamber containing reducing gas and burning Surplus reduriig in the reducing chznnhe' outside the ore shower.

5. A process of redueing inetullic oxid ores which consists in howering` finely divided ore tl'irough n. reduction chambcr contzinin;` tt reducing gas and burning surplus rcdueing gus in the redueing elnnnber outside the ore shower und reterberzting the hcnt So produced inwz rd nud down ward.

3. i\ in'oc ot redueiug` netullie oxid ores which conists in showering tinely ditided ore through u ehnn'ber containing :i heuted roducing ;ras directly into u bath ot' noiten net l hented by electric energy und introducing nulvei'ized eurbou into-the ehower intermediate the surface of the hzith und the 'ooint ot introduction ot' the ore.

T. .t ii'ocess ot reducing ll'tt'jttlilt: oxid ores which consists in Showering tinely (li- \'idcd ore and eurbon through ;i chunhe' containing u hented reducing;` gg-.s directly into u bath of nolteu metal hezited by otec-- trio energy und burning the Hurplus rcduei' e: gas in the redueing chnnher outside the ore shower.

i\ process ot reducing rnctallic ::id ores which consists i showering inely di- Yidul ore through :t ehuniber contniuing u heuted reducing ns directly into a bath of inolien m tal heutod by electric energy introducing pulverized ca rbon into the shower,

Verberating the hent so produced inward and downwa rd.

9.4 process of reducing metallic oxid ores which consists ,in feeding the ore through tt furnace in a shower of discrete particli-rs to u heated bath ut the, bottom, int'roducing cui-bon in a similar condition at a lower point but above the bath wherehy eni-bon nonoxid is generated in the shower and perneuten the slu nvered materials :ilterutetv coubining with oxygen froni the ore nud with the ezirhon, and introdteiug uir outside, the shower to conbine with surplus r'z' bon inonoxid to increase the henting etteet in the t'uruace.

10. A process of redueing net llic oxid ores which COHSSS in t'eediug the ore through :i turruee in :t shower of discrete purtictes to :i heuted bath at the bottom, introducing curhon in :i RiniHaicondition :it: lower point', but above the buth whereby eni-hon uonoxid is" generzitedjn' the HllOWUl' :and permeates the showered nhteriuls :l

ternutely conluning with oxygen `tron the ore and with the carbouihtrodcing :ir out site the Shower to cm iti ne with sui-plus eviton n onoxid to incre'fie the henting eft'ct ot the't'urinee, and introducing flit' :lgove the carbon inlet to conbine with Surpl s curhon monoxid to produce hezt to cnt cine the showered m'e.

11. A process ot' reduciug'inetnllic oxid ores which consists in feeding the, ore through :i ;t'urnace in it shower of discrete pnrtieles to :Uhcated bath at the bottom, introducing earbon in u similar condition nt a tower point but above the bathwherehv carbon nouoxid is generated in the shower n'd perineztes the showcred materials alternately conbining with oxygen from the ore and with the carbon, and iutroducing :ir outside the showe' und ubove the en'bon shower to conbine with sui-plus eni-bon inonoxid to increase the heating` etl'ect ot' the- 12. i\ process ofredueing; netatlic oxil ores which consists in teeding the ore through a furnace in a shower of discrete partirles to n hented bath :it the bottom, introdueiug eni-bon in :i similar condition nt. lower point but above the bath wl'ereby call'- hon n'ouoxid is generated in the shower und perneutes the showcred nnterinls ulte'nntel combining with oxygen 't'ron the ore :ud with the eurbon, and introduein c nir iu u reverberating cllmb'-t'HtSide the showeto comhine with su'plus onrhon nonoxid to increase the heating etl'eet, of the' turuace.

.13. A proceot reducing` iietnllic oxid ores which cous ists in teeding the ore through u turmee in :i shower ot' dir crete pnrticles to u heuted bath at the, bot/toni,

iutrodcing carbon in`a similar condition at lower pot but above the bath Whe'eby car-bon nonoxd s generated n the shower and perneates the showered materials alternntely combining wth the oxygen from the ore and With the carbon, and introducing air outside the shower adjacent .to the bath'to conbine With sur-plus car-bon monoxid to increase the heating .effect of the furnace.

14-. A process of reducing metellic oxid ores which consists in continuously showering finely divided ore through an unobstrueted chzunber directly into a bath of the nolten materia] heated by electric energy, 't'oduc'ng plverized carbon .ehower intermediate the surface of the bath and the point of introduction of the ore, and

gradlzlly withdrawing the nolten .metal' from the bath at a point sufliciently remote from the shower to avoid the imnediate withdrzwal of the newly snelted metal.

into the 15. A process of reducing metani@ oni" ores which consists in feeding the ore through a furnace in 'ai shower of diserete partieles to e heated bath at 'the bottom introducing carbon in a similar condition at a lower point but above the bathwhereby car-bon monoxid is generated in theshower and perneates the showered materiale alte&

.nately conbining 'With the oxygen from the ore and with the earbon end introducing air into the shower above the corben to combine With surphs carbon monoxid 'to efi'ect u pre lininary calcnetion of the ore.

Dated at the ctv of Toronto, Province of Ontario, Canada; this 20th day of June, A. D. 1908.

HERBERT E. HAULTAIN 

